Childhood Curiosity
by DarlingDani1999
Summary: Childhood curiosity was where it all started. Haesoo was curious, and as her big brother, Kyungsoo felt that it was his job to teach her. But he soon comes to realize that maybe there are certain things that a big brother just shouldn't be teaching his little sister… However, he may discover that his teachings end up helping him more than they help Haesoo.
1. prologue: kiss

prologue: _kiss;_ word count: _906_

"Umma," Kyunghwa tapped her mother's shoulder softly. "What's it like to kiss someone?" Kyunghwa was eleven now, and she had started to become fascinated with the idea of falling in love.

"You're too young sweetheart," her mother said softly. "You'll find out when you're older."

But that wasn't good enough for Kyunghwa. She was too persistent.  
"Oppa?" she stood in the doorway of her older brother's bedroom. Kyungsoo was sixteen, surely he would know all about kissing, right?

"Hmm?" Kyungsoo looked up from the algebra problem he was currently contemplating. "What is it Hwannie?"

"Well, I asked umma what it's like to kiss someone; but she said I'm too young."

"Well she's right you know. You're eleven you shouldn't be wondering about kissing anyone." Kyungsoo sighed, shaking his head as he returned to his algebra.

"But oppa, I'm curious" a pout graced Kyunghwa's countenance and she refused to leave until she got an answer.

"Why do you think I know anything about kissing anyway?" Kyungsoo asked. "What makes you think I've ever even kissed anyone?"

"Don't you learn all about that kind of stuff in high school?"

"Not necessarily. You only learn about that stuff when you have a boyfriend or a girlfriend."

"And you don't?"

At this point Kyungsoo's face was burning with an amalgam of annoyance and embarrassment. He was sixteen years old and he'd never been in a relationship. Most of the girls in his class were cheerleaders anyway; and he felt they were far too stuck up and full of themselves, thinking they were princesses when they actually behaved more like the ugly stepsisters. But of course, those kinds of girls were certainly the perfect fit for a place where the male population was primarily sweaty, smelly jocks who took any and every opportunity to rub it in your face that they're better than you because they play sports and have all the girls drooling over them.

"Ugh, those stupid boys are so primitive" Kyungsoo grumbled under his breath. "And all those girls act like sluts."

"What?"

"Huh?" Kyungsoo had forgotten that his little sister was standing there. "Nothing. I was just saying that nobody I go to school with is really my type." _Translation: I'm what they refer to as a "nerd" and none of them even bother to take a second look at me,_ he thought. _So I try to convince myself that I don't even like any of them anyway._ He sighed, staring down at the notebook in his lap.

"So you don't have a boyfriend or a girlfriend?"  
"No! Now can you please leave me alone? I'm trying to finish this, I have a test on it tomorrow and I'd like to pass it."  
"You're a smarty pants you don't need to study," Kyunghwa still refused to leave. She didn't care how, she just wanted an answer to her question.

"Ugh, fine!" Kyungsoo huffed and threw his notebook down on the bed beside him. "You wanna know what it's like to kiss someone?!"

He didn't think about what he did next, it was really just an attempt to get his sister out of his hair. He softly cupped her face in his hands and pressed a light kiss to her lips.

"There, now can I please finish my homework?"

Kyunghwa stared at him, her mouth agape and her cheeks painted red.

"OUT!" Kyungsoo slammed the door in Kyunghwa's face, then flopped on his bed and stared at his still unfinished algebra homework. But he couldn't focus on it anymore. Instead, he moved his gaze to the ceiling and thought about the irrationality of what he had just done. He just kissed his little sister, and that was strange. But what was stranger was that no matter how strange he tried to convince himself it was, he didn't feel strange at all. In fact, as soon as their lips had met, Kyungsoo had felt his heart begin to race. _But she's my sister..._ he thought, shaking his head. _She's my sister, I can't have those kinds of feelings for her. That's... that's so wrong. So very very wrong."_

But he couldn't stop his heart or his mind from racing. He continued to stare at the ceiling, surrounded by the homework that he was too distracted to finish. He fell asleep with the taste of Kyunghwa's lips still lingering on his own, and the sound of his heart thumping so loud in his ears that he was sure everyone in the house could hear it.

"So that's what it feels like to kiss someone" Kyunghwa said to herself as she too stared at the ceiling in her bedroom. She didn't really let it sink in too deeply that the boy she had kissed was her brother, she was too focused on the fact that she had finally learned what it felt like to kiss someone.

She touched her lips softly with the tip of her index finger. "I like it," she said, a soft grin finding its way to her face. "It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside." And those were the last words she allowed to escape before she fell asleep in a completely different world than the one her brother was sleeping in across the hall. Both of them slept with the taste of each other on their lips, but only one of them slept with the lingering feeling of, well, he had no idea what.


	2. part one: jealous

**prologue:** _ **kiss;**_ part one: _jealous;_ word count: _2,007_

It was June. Haesoo was nineteen years old and graduating high school. Kyungsoo sat in the front row of the audience between his parents and one of his good best friends from university, Jongin. Jongin also conveniently happened to be Haesoo's boyfriend, but Kyungsoo tried not to focus on that. He was twenty-four years old and the only thing close to any sort of relationship he'd ever had was the kiss he'd given Haesoo when they were young.

It wasn't for lack of trying though. He'd gone through high school without bothering to try his luck at asking out any of the snarky cheerleader girls, or the obnoxious smelly jock boys. Throughout his university years, he'd kept his focus on his studies rather than finding love. But he always had this nagging feeling that maybe there was more to it than just not wanting to find it. Maybe, just maybe, he already had.

"Do Haesoo." Kyungsoo was quickly snapped out of his thoughts by the principal calling Haesoo up to receive her diploma. The Do family and Jongin stood up to give the youngest Do a standing ovation as she approached the podium.

"Thank you" Haesoo smiled as she accepted her diploma and bowed to the principal.

The rest of the ceremony seemed to drag on, and Kyungsoo didn't particularly care to pay any attention to the rest. He remembered how boring his own graduation ceremony had been, and how his mind had constantly wandered during it.

"Oppa." His thoughts were interrupted once again. This time, by his little sister tapping his shoulder. "The ceremony is over." When Kyungsoo glanced at her, she was sitting on Jongin's lap. A pang of something Kyungsoo couldn't explain washed over him. It was almost as if it made him angry to see Haesoo in Jongin's lap.

"We should get home. We have to finish packing for the camping trip and make sure Chanyeol is ready too."

Chanyeol was another friend of Kyungsoo's from university. His best friend in fact. Jongin and Haesoo had invited him along for Haesoo's post-graduation camping trip so that Kyungsoo didn't feel like a third wheel.

"Chanyeol, we're on our way to your house," Kyungsoo said into his phone as he, Jongin and Haesoo left the Do family home to head out on their camping trip. "Wait for us outside okay?"

"I'm already outside" Chanyeol laughed. "I'm one step ahead of you Kyung."

"Alright, then we'll see you soon" Kyungsoo grinned and hung up.

Soon, the foursome found themselves at the campground. While he and Chanyeol were setting up their tent, Kyungsoo couldn't stop his eyes from wandering over to Hae and Jongin setting up their own.

"I know you don't like the thought of them sharing a tent," Chanyeol said.

"Yeah, right. That's the problem," Kyungsoo nodded. "I don't like that thought. She's too young to be sharing a tent with a boy." At least, that's what he was trying to convince himself he believed.

"Kyung, you can't hold onto her forever you know," Chanyeol sighed. "She's nineteen, you've gotta let her grow up."

"I know, I know."

"Yah Kyungsoo! Chanyeol!" Jongin called. "Come on, we're headed to the lake!"

Kyungsoo and Chanyeol followed Kyunghwa and Jongin to the lake. Kyungsoo felt that weird, unknown feeling creep back into him when he saw Haesoo giggling and smiling while splashing around with Jongin.

"Let's have a chicken fight" Chanyeol grinned. "Brother versus sister. Kyungsoo you get on my shoulders, Haesoo you get on Jongin's."

Haesoo nodded and climbed on Jongin's shoulders. Kyungsoo hesitantly followed suit and climbed on Chanyeol's shoulders.

"Ready! Set! Go!" Chanyeol grinned.

Haesoo and Kyungsoo started pushing each other, both competing to knock the other off their partner's shoulders. Kyungsoo stared at Jongin and gritted his teeth. Without meaning to, Kyungsoo pushed too hard and Kyunghwa fell off Jongin's shoulders and into the lake, inhaling some of the water as she fell.

"Haesoo!" Jongin quickly lifted her out of the water, seeing that she was having trouble surfacing. "Are you okay? Hey, hey look at me! Can you breathe?" Haesoo was coughing and having trouble catching her breath. She coughed up water as Jongin softly patted her back while carrying her to shore. Once she had coughed up all the water and finally caught her breath, she clung tightly to Jongin as tears filled her eyes.

"I thought I was going to die."

By this time, Chanyeol had joined the two on shore, and Kyungsoo stood on the edge of the lake staring at the three of them, shocked by his own actions.

"Kyungsoo what the hell is wrong with you?!" Jongin asked, shaking his head as he carried Haesoo to their tent, holding her close and softly stroking her hair. "Shh, baby don't cry."

It was then that the realization finally hit Kyungsoo like a ton of bricks. He was jealous. He was angry that Haesoo loved Jongin instead of him. _No… no that can't be it._ He tried so hard to deny it. He tried so hard to force himself to believe that wasn't it. _She's my sister, I don't love her that way… I can't love her that way… That's wrong…_

He shook his head and quickly ran back to his own tent, ignoring Chanyeol's gaze.

"Kyungsoo?" Chanyeol softly tapped on the tent's small door. "Can I please come in?" The only sound he received in response was Kyungsoo sniffling. "Kyungsoo please?" When he still received no answer, Chanyeol's hand found its way to the zipper of the tent door.

"Whatever…" finally came Kyungsoo's answer from inside the tent, where he was huddled in his sleeping bag.

"Care to explain why you just tried to kill you sister?" Chanyeol asked.

"I was jealous…"

"Of what?"

"Chanyeol… I have feelings for my sister."

"Kyungsoo, do you realize just how—"

"Crazy that sounds? I know. It'll sound even crazier when I explain it, so brace yourself." He cleared his throat and sighed. "When we were younger she asked me what kissing was like. She was eleven, and I was sixteen."  
"I can already see where this is going."  
"Will you shut up and listen you bozo?"

"Sorry, continue."

"Anyway, as I was saying. She asked me about kissing when we were younger. I got really annoyed with her constant pestering, so I kissed her. Just so she'd leave me alone."

"But you ended up getting more than you bargained for, didn't you?"  
"Yeah… I used to try to convince myself that the reason I didn't try to get romantically involved with anyone for the remainder of my school years after that was because I was more interested in my studies than love."  
"But that wasn't it, was it?" Chanyeol asked. "The real reason you didn't try to get romantically involved with anyone else was because—"

"I thought by some miracle I could be my sister's freaking boyfriend! God how weird and stupid is that?! I'm such an idiot!"

"No, not an idiot. Just confused." Chanyeol softly pulled his friend into a comforting hug. "And I feel like what happened out there in the lake was one of those 'if I can't have her, no one can' kind of things. But it was way in the back of your subconscious, so you had no idea you were feeling it."

"So I just tried to kill my sister because my brain decided 'oh, if you can't be her boyfriend you might as well kill her'? Wow, imagine how insane I would've sounded in court if I had actually killed her! They would've thrown me into an asylum or something!"

"Kyung, chill. First of all, asylums don't exist anymore, they'd just put you in a retreat."  
"That's the same—" Kyungsoo began, but Chanyeol cut him off.

"No, actually it's not. Retreats are much safer and much more civilized than asylums. In a retreat they're not going to give you shock therapy or lobotomies. They'll actually help you, instead of treating you like an outsider. Now, can I finish what I was trying to say?"

"Fine…"  
"You need to calm down okay? Go talk to her and explain the situation. I feel like if she understands why you did what you did, maybe you two can work out… whatever this weird thing is that you've got going on."

"She's gonna think I'm crazy…"

"No she's not, Kyungsoo! You just need to go talk to her, okay? And then talk to Jongin once you have everything figured out. I'm sure he'll want an explanation too."

"But Yeol—"

"Just gooooo!" Chanyeol gave his friend a push out the tent door and zipped it back up, holding onto the zipper so that even if Kyungsoo wanted to, he couldn't open the door back up.

Kyungsoo made his way over to Jongin and Haesoo's tent. "H-hey, can I talk to my sister?" he asked in a slightly shaky voice. He was fully prepared to turn around and walk away, expecting Haesoo to want nothing to do with him. But as he was about to turn around, the tent door opened and Jongin stepped out.

"Just don't try to kill her again," he grumbled bitterly. "You're lucky I even trust you alone with her right now."

As Jongin walked away, Kyungsoo let his words sink in. _You're lucky I even trust you alone with her right now._ Those words swam through his mind as he softly stepped into the tent.

"H-Haesoo… I'm sorry…"

She was curled up in her sleeping bag, refusing to look at him.

"You'd better have a damn good explanation for what you did back there Do Kyungsoo!" she demanded, still refusing to look at him, even as she spoke.

"I do, but I need you to listen to me. And… not to think I'm crazy."

"Alright, then explain." Haesoo sat up, giving her brother her full attention.

"Remember when we were kids?" Kyungsoo asked quietly. "That time you asked me… what kissing was like?"

"What about it?"

"See, this is the part you're going to think is crazy…"

"Kyungsoo…" Haesoo stared at him, eyes wide and mouth agape. "You… you have…"

"Feelings for you…" Kyungsoo mumbled, his shoulders rising as his voice lowered.

"Kyungsoo," Haesoo softly took her brother's face in her hands, stroking his cheek tenderly with her thumb. "I don't think you're crazy."  
"Y-you don't?"

"Nope. Not even a little bit. Because if I'm being honest, after that night I thought about kissing you again…"

"Y-you did?"

She nodded, looking down at her hands in her lap and softly fidgeting with her fingers.

"I even thought… for just a little while that I… that I loved you…"

"Well I would hope you loved me, I'm your bro—"

"No Kyungsoo… I thought I loved you… the way you're saying that you love me…"

"Y—" but before Kyungsoo could stutter out another "you did?," Haesoo's lips were softly pressed against his. All of his feelings resurfaced. The same strange feelings from when he was sixteen, mixed with whatever new feelings he felt now at twenty-four. Suddenly his head and heart were spinning as he let his lips softly mesh with his sister's. How could something so wrong feel so right?

"Haesoo, what the hell are we doing?"

"I have no idea, it just… felt right."

"We'll figure it out in the morning," Kyungsoo said, softly braiding Haesoo's soggy hair. "Right now, let's just get some rest okay?"

"But I'm not tired."

Kyungsoo softly played with his little sister's hair as he began to sing to her.

"She's dreaming, she's dreaming

A night thick with moonlight

It's our only time together

She's dreaming, she's dreaming

You're asleep in me

I can't help but smile

I'm just looking at you, because

In the morning, as if nothing happened

You'll wake up"

He looked down at Haesoo who was now sound asleep in his arms. He gently tucked her into the sleeping bag beside him, then curled up beside her as he too drifted into a peaceful and quiet slumber.


	3. part two: best friend

**prologue:** ** _kiss;_** **part one:** ** _jealous;_** part two: _best friend;_ word count: _1,959_

The next morning, Kyungsoo awoke to find Haesoo still sound asleep, peacefully drifting through her dreams. He gently shook her and her eyes opened slowly.

"Eh?" Haesoo yawned as she sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Oh, good morning oppa."

"Good morning sweetie," Kyungsoo smiled, softly kissing her cheek. "Did you sleep well?"

"Mhmm, I had a dream about you."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, it was about the first time you kissed me. I don't know why, I guess I must've fallen asleep thinking about it."

"Haesoo," Kyungsoo sighed softly. "I know last night was... nice, but we can't be in love like that. We're brother and sister, not boyfriend and girlfriend."

"I know, it's just really complicated you know? Finding out so suddenly that your brother of all people is in romantic love with you; then finding out that you think you might be in romantic love with him too. And this is all happening while Jongin is—" she froze. She hadn't even thought about Jongin until now. _How is he going to react to all this? Did he try to come in the tent at all last night?_

She shook the questions out of her head and turned to Kyungsoo.

"Oppa, do you think Chanyeol said anything to Jongin?"

"I'm not sure, I know I tried to last night."

"When?!"

"While you were sleeping. I woke up in the middle of the night because Jongin was at the door. He glared at me when I opened it; but he just asked if you were okay. I told him you were fine. Then I briefly remember him asking 'what the hell is wrong with you Kyungsoo?' But I was far too tired to give him the long answer, so I told him we'd talk about it in the morning."

Haesoo sighed, making her way to the tent door and unzipping it.

"I have to go talk to him."

"But he's expe—"

"I know, he's expecting you to come talk to him because you said you would. But he's my boyfriend, it'd be better if I was the one to explain it."

Kyungsoo nodded.

"Go ahead then. Go talk to him."

Haesoo scampered out of the tent and found Jongin sitting at the edge of the lake, wiggling his toes in the water.

"Hey,"

"Haesoo did he hurt you at all last night while I wasn't there?"

"No, Jongin I'm fine. But I... do have something that you and I need to discuss."

"Eh? What is it?" Jongin stared at her, bewildered.

"Well, it's a really long and... complicated story so, just be prepared to be incredibly confused."

"I can't possibly be any more confused than I am right now. Why are you beating around the bush? Are you breaking up with me?" Questions flew one by one from Jongin's lips until Haesoo's own lips gently silenced them.

"Not even in your wildest dreams."

"Then what the hell is going on Haesoo? I'm sure it's not that crazy, just tell me."

"Alright well, here's the thing. When Kyungsoo and I were younger, like eight or so years ago, I asked him what it felt like to kiss someone."

"Has he ever even kissed someone? I've known your brother for five years now, and I don't think he's ever even been in a relationship."

"Well, no. He's never been in a relationship. But he has been in love, and he has kissed someone."

"Oh? Who?" Jongin tilted his head like a puppy that had just been asked if it wanted to go for a walk.

"Me..."

Jongin's jaw dropped as he stared at her in disbelief.

"Jongin? Jongin?" Haesoo waved her hand in front of his face. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Y-you're kidding, right?"

"No Jongin, I'm not kidding. When I asked him what kissing felt like, he taught me the answer by, well, kissing me."

"So you're telling me that your own brother has romantic feelings for you?"

"It would appear that way, yes."

"Do you have any feelings for him?" Jongin was still trying to wrap his brain around the whole situation.

"Well, I didn't think so until last night. When he came into the tent he explained everything and... then I kissed him. But I don't think it meant anything. I kissed him but I didn't feel anything..."

"You didn't?"

"I don't know..." Haesoo stared at her hands and sighed. "I don't think I felt anything, but I might've. Maybe somewhere in the back of my mind."

"So then that whole incident at the lake," Jongin said, coming to a sudden realization. "That was all because he was—"

"Jealous."

"There has to be something we can do for him."

"He thinks he's going insane, Jongin."

"Well, what if we took his mind off it by setting him up with someone else?"

"And who do you suppose that would be? Who could we get to go out with Kyungsoo on such short notice without even getting to know him first?"

Jongin pointed up to a picnic table where Chanyeol sat, organizing the breakfast he had cooked for everyone over the fire.

"Chanyeol? You wanna set my brother up with Chanyeol?"

"Mhmm" Jongin nodded promptly. "I think he's just what Kyungsoo needs."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well have you ever noticed the way Kyungsoo always turns to him? Whenever something goes wrong, the first person Kyungsoo wants comfort from is Chanyeol."

"That's because they're best friends, Jongin."

"Okay sure, that explains that part. Chanyeol is Kyungsoo's confidant and safe place, and Kyungsoo is Chanyeol's. I get that. But riddle me this, why are they so cuddly and touchy? On the ride up here, when Kyungsoo fell asleep he could've rested his head on the window or something. But he rested his head in Chanyeol's lap. And Chanyeol was playing with Kyungsoo's hair the whole time."

Haesoo glanced back up at Chanyeol, who was still sitting at the picnic table putting breakfast together.

"I mean, I don't know about you, but I think Kyungsoo's in love with Chanyeol." Jongin stated matter-of-factly. "And who better than his best friend to be the one to distract him from his feelings for you?"

"Okay, sure. But how can you be sure that Chanyeol has the same feelings for Kyungsoo?"

"Anyone who sees the way they interact can make that assumption."  
"Jongin, don't assume. It only makes and ass out of you and me."

"What?"

"Nevermind," Haesoo shook her head. A joke was never funny if you had to explain it. "How do you suppose we go about setting my brother up with Chanyeol?"

"Well, what if the four of us come down to the lake later? I'll suggest racing to that dock out there," he pointed out across the lake to a small dock. "Then you and I will just hang back and watch the magic happen."

"How can we be so sure it will?"

"I don't know, we'll watch them from behind a tree or something."

"You mean like spying? Jongin that's an invasion of privacy!"

"But do you really want your brother to continue having romantic feelings for you?"

"Good point..."

"Then we're gonna have to spy!"

"Alright alright, fine. I'll spy. But only to break this awkwardness between my brother and I."

"Yah! Jongin, Haesoo! Breakfast!" Chanyeol called from the picnic table.

The couple scampered hand in hand up to where Chanyeol had arranged the breakfast he'd spent an hour and a half cooking over the fire.

"I'll be right back. I've gotta go let Kyungsoo know breakfast is ready." Chanyeol made his way to the tent where Kyungsoo was in the process of changing out of his pajamas. Without really thinking, Chanyeol grabbed the zipper of the tent door and started to pull it open.

"Yah!" Kyungsoo shrieked. "Don't you dare open that door Park Chanyeol!"

"Why?"

"I'm changing! Now let go of that goddamn zipper!"

"Sorry!" Chanyeol suddenly grew flustered. "I'm sorry, I was just coming to let you know breakfast is ready."

"I'll be out in a moment." Kyungsoo's face was bright red at the thought of his best friend almost seeing him half naked. Although, he couldn't quite figure out why his face was red. _I'm probably just embarrassed, right?_ he thought, shrugging as he finished dressing and exited the tent.

"I made you a plate," Chanyeol smiled. "I gave you a little bit of everything."

"Thanks Yeol," Kyungsoo smiled, ruffling the taller male's hair. Kyungsoo picked up the small paper cup of orange juice that Chanyeol had poured him. As he sipped from it, a bit of the juice missed his mouth and dribbled down his chin.

"You're making a mess, Kyung" Chanyeol laughed, softly wiping the juice away with his sweater sleeve. Jongin and Haesoo shared a glance and Jongin whispered,

"Love is in the air."

"Hmm?" Kyungsoo tilted his head.

"He said bugs! Bugs are in the air! Lots of bugs!" Kyunghwa said, trying not to let her brother catch on to the plan.

"Haesoo, the only bug I've seen since we got here was that one moth that found its way into mine and Kyungsoo's tent on the first night" Chanyeol laughed. "Other than that, I haven't really noticed any."

"Did I say bugs? I meant—"

"Yah! Why don't we head down the lake after breakfast?" Jongin asked, saving Haesoo from having to try and come up with some other cover up.

"Sounds like a plan!" Kyungsoo grinned, his mouth half full with a piece of sausage.

"Kyung, don't talk with your mouth full!" Chanyeol laughed, poking his friend's cheek softly.

"Sorry," Kyungsoo mumbled as he swallowed his mouthful of food.

Soon enough, the foursome had finished their breakfast and were making their way towards the lake.

"No chicken fights this time," Chanyeol said softly. "We don't need a repeat of last night." He glanced at Kyungsoo who frowned and glanced at Haesoo, worrying that she might still be upset with him.

"Last night was just an accident, it's alright" Haesoo said softly. "Sometimes my brother just doesn't know his own strength." Her words reassured Kyungsoo and brought a smile to his face.

"Yah, I have an idea! You see that little dock out there?" Jongin pointed out across the lake. "Let's have a race to see who can get to it fastest!" The others nodded and Jongin glanced at Haesoo who nodded and gave him a thumbs up. The four of them lined up side by side and prepared to race.

"Ready! Set! Go!" Chanyeol shouted, and the foursome began swimming toward the dock. When they were sure neither Chanyeol nor Kyungsoo would notice, Jongin and Haesoo stopped and swam back to shore.

"And now, we wait." Jongin grinned as he sat beside Haesoo on the lake's edge and watched Chanyeol and Kyungsoo.

Meanwhile, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo were neck and neck, completely oblivious to the fact that the other two had pulled out of the race.

"I'm gonna win!" Chanyeol smirked.

"In your dreams slowpoke!" Kyungsoo laughed and started swimming just a little faster in hopes of gaining a lead.

"Hmm, well then I guess dreams really do come true" Chanyeol grinned as he swam past Kyungsoo, paddling as fast as he could and reaching the dock just seconds before his younger pal.

"Damn!" Kyungsoo pouted in defeat. "I thought for sure I'd win!"

"Next time, shorty." Chanyeol laughed as he climbed up on the dock, then hoisted Kyungsoo up too.

"I'm not short! You're just really freaking tall!"

"Sure, whatever you say. Shorty." Chanyeol teased, softly jabbing his finger into Kyungsoo's hip, earning a small giggle from the latter. "Hey Kyungsoo?"

"Yeah?"

Chanyeol softly cupped Kyungsoo's chin and pressed a tender kiss to his lips.

"I love you."


	4. part three: egghead

**prologue:** _ **kiss;**_ **part one:** _ **jealous;**_ **part two:** _ **best friend;**_ part three: _egghead;_ word count: _1,713_

Kyungsoo stood outside his tent, running a towel through his hair. His mind was racing, and his face turned bright red every time he thought of Chanyeol. _Did he really do that? Or was that all just my imagination? Did that really happen?_

"Yah, Kyung?" His thoughts were interrupted by Chanyeol peeking his head out of the tent. "Are you done with that towel?"

"Uh, yeah. Why? Do you need it?"

"If you wouldn't mind sharing of course" Chanyeol laughed.

"Of course not. Here." Kyungsoo ran his hands through his hair. _Dry enough,_ he thought, handing the towel to Chanyeol. "Here."

"Thanks!" Chanyeol grinned cheerfully, running the towel through his own hair.

 _Why is he acting so casual? He's acting like he didn't just kiss me out on that dock. He's acting like absolutely nothing happened. Maybe I really did just imagine it all._ Kyungsoo's mind continued to race with several questions and other wonderings. That was of course, until his train of thought was once again interrupted by Chanyeol's voice finding its way onto the track.

"Yah, Kyung?"

"Hmm?"

"About what happened on the dock earlier…"

"What about it?"

"Well, I'm sure you're looking for an explanation."

"I guess." _Yes. Yes I am._

"Well you see, the thing is..."

"Hmm?" _The thing is what? What is the thing?_

"I honestly don't know how to put it into words."

"Oh?" _Chanyeol, stop beating around the bush. Tell me._

"Kyungsoo, I'm in love with you. I have been for quite some time now. I've been trying to figure out how to tell you, but I always get so tongue tied. Remember back in university, when I always used to wait outside your classroom for you after lectures? Or when I used to save a seat for you in the cafeteria?"

Kyungsoo nodded.

"I guess… those were my subtle ways of showing affection. I didn't feel like I was very good at articulating my feelings then, and I guess I'm not that much better at it now. But, Kyungsoo I've been desperately in love with you for years. I guess part of me didn't want to say anything because you were pretty reserved when it came to love. Until you told me about that whole weird thing between you and your sister, I thought you honestly had no desire to fall in love. And I mean, that would've been okay and I would've gotten over it eventually but I mean, I think that kiss on the dock was just my way of—"

"Trying to save me."

"Huh?"

"All these years, I've been fighting with my own feelings. Every year, I would discover them more and more. The fact that I had feelings for my sister used to keep me up on countless nights. Every year, I would slowly begin to feel like I was just getting crazier and crazier. But there was always something, or maybe someone, that pulled me back towards some sense of sanity. That night, after the chicken fight, when I was sitting there in the tent with you I felt… safe."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know exactly. I think what I'm trying to say is… I love you too, Chanyeol."

"Y-you do?"

"Yes. You're a safe place. If I was crazy, you'd be my asylum."

"Retreat, Kyung. It's called a retreat." Chanyeol corrected.

"I know, I just wanted you to correct me."

"Why?" Chanyeol laughed.

"Because, you always laugh when you correct me. And I like it when you laugh, I think it's cute. I also like it when you call me shorty. But only you and no one else."

"Why only me?"

"Because, only my boyfriend can call me dorky nicknames like shorty. Or egghead." Kyungsoo laughed.

"What?"

"Remember? When we were roommates back in university? Whenever I walked in the room you'd always ask, 'hey egghead, what's crackin'?' You said it was because my haircut made me look like an egg." Kyungsoo laughed.

"Of course I remember that, egghead." Chanyeol softly flicked Kyungsoo's forehead. "But… the part before that…"

"Oh what? Shorty? Well I mean, that one's pretty obvious isn't it?" Kyungsoo laughed. "I'm short, duh."

"No no, not that either."

"Then which part do you mean?" _I know perfectly well which part you mean, I just want you to say it._

"You called me your…"

"Boyfriend?"

Chanyeol nodded. "Yeah, boyfriend…"

"Mhmm. What about it?"

"Kyung, I'm not…"

"Well, you could be."

"What do you mean?"

"What do you think I mean, Yeol?"

"Kyung, are you asking me..?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"Are you saying yes?"

"I…" Chanyeol's face was bright red, and he stared wide-eyed at Kyungsoo. Clearly, he was trying very hard to formulate something to say, but the words just wouldn't come out the way he wanted.

Haesoo and Jongin peeked out at the scene from the small mesh window of their tent.

"Told you so!" Jongin exclaimed, sticking his tongue out childishly.

"Hush!" Haesoo whispered, putting her hand over Jongin's mouth before peeking back out the mesh window to make sure that her brother and Chanyeol hadn't heard Jongin's exclamation. Jongin smirked mischievously and licked Haesoo's hand, causing her to shriek and quickly remove it from his mouth.

"Yuck! Jongin!"

"Hush!" Jongin stuck out his tongue as he mimicked Haesoo. Haesoo furrowed her brow as she lightly smacked the back of her boyfriend's head.

"Oh just shut up will you?" she sighed, rolling her eyes. "This was all your idea and you're not even paying attention!"

Kyungsoo and Chanyeol sat outside their own tent, both waiting for the other to speak. Their attention was diverted from each other's faces for only a moment when they heard Haesoo shriek.

"Jongin probably licked her hand again" Kyungsoo laughed.

"Again? You mean that's something he does often?" Chanyeol raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, she usually tries to make him shut up by putting her hand over his mouth, and he usually licks it. They're weird like that."

"We're pretty weird too, you know."

"Oh yeah? How so?"

"Well for starters, I call you egghead."

"And I think about calling you elf ears sometimes. What's your point?"

"Elf ears?" Chanyeol whined. Kyungsoo nodded and softly tugged on Chanyeol's ears.

"I mean, they are pretty big." He laughed, letting go of Chanyeol's ears and taking his hand instead. "But what else have you got? What makes you think we're so weird?"

Chanyeol pondered the question for a moment, looking down at his and Kyungsoo's intertwined hands.

"You know, I thought I had a reason. But I guess not."

"Hmm, well" Kyungsoo tapped his chin in thought, and his tongue poked out of the side of his mouth as he tried to concentrate on finding something that made the two of them weird.

"Cute," Chanyeol grinned. "Your thinking face is so freaking cute."

"It is not!"

"Yeah it is egghead!"

Kyungsoo whined and playfully tackled Chanyeol to the ground. He felt his face heat up when his actions put them in a rather compromising position.

"Well hey there egghead" Chanyeol laughed, looking up into the eyes of the shorter male on top of him. Kyungsoo hid his bright red face in Chanyeol's chest.

"Shut up elf ears."

"Hey, you're the one who tackled me. Just saying." Chanyeol laughed as he ruffled Kyungsoo's hair. "So soft" he mumbled, burying his nose in the messy black mop on Kyungsoo's head. Kyungsoo wrapped his arms around Chanyeol's torso, comforted by the other's nose buried in his hair.

"You're so cozy" he smiled, cuddling up into the warmth of Chanyeol's body. Chanyeol's nose stayed buried in Kyungsoo's hair, which was still wet from the lake. They cuddled for only another moment, then suddenly Kyungsoo was lifted off the ground and being carried away in Chanyeol's arms.

"Yah! Where are we going elf ears?"

Chanyeol said nothing, but laughed as he carried Kyungsoo down to the edge of the lake.

"No no no! I just got dry!" Kyungsoo whined. "Chanyeol no!" But his whining proved futile, because soon they were both waist deep in water.

"Wanna race to the dock again?" Chanyeol beamed. His smile, in Kyungsoo's mind at least, flashed brighter than the sun.

"Fine, but only because I was gonna ask for a rematch later anyway! I'm definitely gonna win this time!"

"In your dreams shorty!" Chanyeol didn't even give a ready, set, go. He quickly began swimming ahead of Kyungsoo. "You'd better catch up if you intend to win, egghead!" he called over his shoulder. Kyungsoo scowled and began to swim as fast as his arms and legs could possibly carry him.

"No fair!" he shouted. "Your limbs are way longer than mine!"

"All's fair in love and war!" Chanyeol smirked, though he knew he shouldn't be getting too cocky; the gap between them was slowly closing. Soon, the two of them were neck and neck.

"I'm gonna win!" Kyungsoo grinned. He started gaining a slow lead, only a few inches ahead of Chanyeol. But that distance soon grew wider; and before he knew it, Kyungsoo had made it to the dock. "Ha ha ha!" He grinned in triumph when Chanyeol finally caught up. "I told you I'd win!"

"How do you know I didn't just let you win?"

"Because, you're too competitive to let yourself lose."

"Alright, you've got me there. You won fair and square. You're still an egghead though."

"And I embrace it" Kyungsoo grinned proudly.

"Come on egghead, get up here." Chanyeol climbed up on the dock and helped Kyungsoo up with him.

"Hey, Yeol?" Kyungsoo rested his head on Chanyeol's chest and Chanyeol's nose found its way back into the messy black mop of hair.

"Yes?"

"Remember when I said you could be my boyfriend? And you asked if that was me asking?"

"Mhmm."

"Well I was wondering…"

"Yes?"

"Park Chanyeol, or elf ears. Whichever you prefer. This is me asking. Will you be my boyfriend?"

Chanyeol picked his head up out of Kyungsoo's hair and flashed his soft, sunny smile. He cupped Kyungsoo's chin in his hand and kissed his lips softly and lovingly. As their lips parted, their foreheads stayed glued to each other. Chanyeol gave Kyungsoo a soft eskimo kiss as he looked him straight in the eye and said,

"Of course I will, egghead."


End file.
